Interesting study shows that atheists get just as stressed as the religious when daring God to do bad things. You know, I never really believed in atheists; I just never thought there was good evidence they exist or could exist. I mean, Harvey could be an atheist, but that’s because he might not actually exist. But for all non-imaginary people, they eventually center their lives around some irrational beliefs — whether they acknowledge it or not — and somewhere in there will be those people’s conception of God — again whether they are conscious of it or not. And apparently everyone is afraid that that God will smite him.
God is supposed to be like nice, though, dudes. Still, I wouldn’t push Him.
Funny thing: If we’re wrong, we lose nothing. If they’re wrong, they’re screwed.
A change of perspective might be helpful…view the paradigm from the position of man being the concept of God.
Being as we are created in His image. Albeit, possessed of a finite mind.
Which makes it somewhat challenging to wrap said limited mind around the idea of an unlimited consciousness.
Uncaused First Cause, anybody?
But hey, if the atheistic deniers want to petulantly pout and stomp their hooves in the face of inescapable logic…that’s fine, just a manifesting of the free will with which God has blessed His creation.
God is like America: slow to anger, quick to forgive, but fearsome and mighty when roused.
Or possibly like the Marines: no better friend, no worse enemy.
“Everyone Fears a Vengeful God”
That is the beginning of wisdom.
……..but I fear Keyser Soze
Hmm — thought I heard a voice in the thunder say, “It’s SMITIN’ TIME!”
I’d stay out of DC for a couple of weeks. Maybe Vegas and Hollywood too.
…And He don’t like the pusher man. ~ Steppenwolf
@3 for someone who may or may not exist, that was kinda beautiful and profound. 🙂
As a Christian Solipsist, I am real but I’m not certain about anyone else.
“When the world shook and the sun was wiped out of heaven, it was not at the crucifixion, but at the cry from the cross: the cry which confessed that God was forsaken of God.
And now let the revolutionists choose a creed from all the creeds and a god from all the gods of the world, carefully weighing all the gods of inevitable recurrence and of unalterable power.
They will not find another god who has himself been in revolt.
Nay (the matter grows too difficult for human speech), but let the atheists themselves choose a god.
They will find only one divinity who ever uttered their isolation; only one religion in which God seemed for an instant to be an atheist.”
– G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy.
“E’lo-i, E’lo-i, la’ma sabach-tha’ni!”
– Mark 15:34
I don’t think that is quite what the study showed. It did show an effect by one imaginary entity but did not control for or investigate the many thousands of other imaginary entities. We may show deference to all imaginary entities but the study was small and did not investigate that aspect. We may have an equal reaction to Santa Claus or Thor.
@11 – I’ve always been afraid the Tooth Fairly would stiff me if I pissed her off.